A Parents Lesson
by lil noir neko
Summary: An art show finally gives Martin the chance to show his dad something he is proud of but his fathers words hurt. It's hard to be a child and hard to be a parent. ONE SHOT about how parents can make mistakes too.


Authors Note: I do not own Martin Mystery, Marathon does. This was written when I was thinking about an old teacher of mine who did something similar to me. I take all reviews but I will ignore flames outright. Creative advice I will accept in order to help improve my writting. I hope you enjoy the story.

" Talking "

_" Thinking"_

**A Parents Lesson**

Martin stared at the painting in front of him with pride. He had entered the art contest his school was hosting in order to gain some funding, the art pieces in the show would hopefully be sold in the auction they were holding. His piece had won first place, something he was rather proud of and couldn't wait to show his dad. The pieces had been judged over a three week time period and the winner would discover their piece placed in a silver frame with a red 1st place ribbon attached to it. Martin had been shocked to find out that he had won at all but winning first had given him joy. It was something his father could be proud of. He hadn't earned his fathers respect when it was discovered that he worked for the centre so Martin was hoping to attain some for this. It was something he could be proud of and Diana had expressed her joy for him as well, congratulating Martin on a job well done. Martin's father had come to the school as all parents had been notified about their children's art work in the auction and the contest and Martin couldn't help but be a bit excited that his father could be at one of his important events. His father was currently at the science fair Diana had entered looking at her project and he would be there for another thirty minutes so he could witness the announcement of who had won. Martin hadn't told his father he had won exactly because he had wanted to surprise the man. Martin looked at his watch after noticing he had spaced out and saw he had ten minutes to get to his step-sisters competition. He ran most of the way and made it just in time to see the judges walk up to the podium and clear her throat.

"Where were you?" Gerard Mystery whispered in a serious tone. Martin tried his best to ignore it but couldn't help wincing. He cleared his throat and looked at his father.

"I was at the art show," Martin whispered back. His father smiled and Martin felt some relief. "You want to go take a look after? I want to show you something."

"I'm glad to know that you're getting in some culture. Alright, I'll go." Martin smiled and turned his attention to the judge. She cleared her throat again and put her hand on the microphone. Martin didn't hear the third or second place winners as they didn't start with a 'D' and waited as the judge opened the envelope containing the first place winner. He saw Diana wringing her hands nervously as she waited for the answer.

"1st place winner of the science fair is," the judge paused for dramatic effect, "Diana Lombard." Diana looked pleased but gracious. She took the trophy and left the stage. "That concludes this years science fair, have a good day everyone." The judge left the podium.

"I won!" Diana's eyes sparkled as she jumped up and down.

"It was a brilliant project, one that deserved first place." Diana hugged her step-father. "Shall we go to the art show? Martin said he wanted to show me something." Diana smiled at him and pulled her father along and they arrived at the art show not too long after. They looked at many of the paintings on the way to Martin's.

"These are some really nice pieces. Look, that's Jenny's!" Diana ran up to the painting, "Wow, third place." She looked over to her father who was inspecting the first place painting with Martin.

"Isn't it great?" Martin looked at his painting with pride. His father gazed at it for a moment and then to the second and third place paintings.

"In my opinion I believe the second place should have won. This one seems a little haphazard and sloppy and the piece of work isn't very realistic. This one however," Gerard pointed to the second place painting, "Is realistic and beautiful and very scientific in a strange way."

"I don't agree; I think the person was trying to convey a different way of thinking and used his imagination and put a lot of effort into this piece." Martin's voice had taken a defiant tone to it.

"Yes, well I don't think this deserved first place. Fourth maybe but…"

"So it didn't even place in your books?" Martin felt something inside him crack as he waited for his father's answer.

"I'm sorry son but I heard your art piece was in the competition, where is it?" Martin looked at his father and then at Diana. "Well? I'd like to see what my son created."

"They must not have put it up," Martin cleared his throat, "I'm going to go to the bathroom." Martin walked away blending into the crowd.

"What did I say?" Gerard asked looking at Diana.

"Second place was Marvin's painting," she looked at Martin's painting; "first place was Martin's." Gerard noticed the sad look in Diana's eyes and felt like he could kick himself because he had just put his foot in his mouth.

He felt angry, upset and violent all at once and knew that if he didn't get out of here now it would turn ugly. He bit his lip and kept his eyes to the ground as he moved away from the art show. He pushed his way through the crowd but his progress to leave was hindered when he bumped into someone. He looked up and saw Marvin staring at him.

"Congratulations on winning second place but there are people who think you should have won first," Martin looked at Marvin, "I hope you win next year." Martin felt something inside him tear as he pushed past Marvin. He was about to walk away but the blonde grabbed his arm.

"What's the matter, not going to brag that you won?" Marvin was looking at him seriously.

"What's the point?" He pulled his arm violently away and ran in the opposite direction that Marvin was heading. He made it to his dorm, gathered his art supplies and put them in a garbage bag and took it outside.

Gerard had to find his son quickly, he had possibly done one of the worst things he could think of to him and knew he had to right the wrong. He ran through the crowd shouting his son's name in vain. He made it out of the art area and outside to find a stunned Marvin standing there looking in the direction his son had gone. He looked at the blonde and noticed how much he looked like Martin.

"Have you seen my son, he looks like you and ran off somewhere." Gerard looked at Marvin and spoke in a panicked voice.

"Martin?"

"Yes, you look a lot like him." Marvin sighed feeling he looked like the better of the two.

"Yeah, he went that way." He said pointing to the dorms, "I don't know why. He seemed very strange to me." He walked into the crowd but not before telling Gerard his name, "My name is Marvin. I hope I helped you." He disappeared into the crowd.

Gerard ran to the dorms but had to stop to take a breath. He looked out the window over looking the front of the school. He sighed; he thought about how he would make this up to Martin, he had set a plan into motion using Diana's help but he also had to talk to his son. He noticed a blonde haired teen making his way to the front of the school and ran down the stairs running toward the teen.

Martin looked at his art supplies while heading to the dumpster, intending to throw away his bag of tools. He was angry, yes, but right now he could feel the tearing in his body becoming worse as more emotions slipped through and let angry tears fall down his face. He kicked a statue near by ignoring the pain that came with it and slumped to the ground. His chest hurt as he made his way to the statue and hid behind it and just let out silent tears. This hurt, this hurt badly.

Gerard ran down the pathway and was about to run past a statue when heard mumblings of someone. He walked up to it and hid on the other side intending to listen to whoever was speaking and recognized his own son's voice.

"I finally do something I'm proud of that I thought dad would be proud of and get my hopes up and this happens. Every time I hope it just gets worse, sometimes I think he loves Diana more." He knew he was talking to empty space, at least he thought he was, but at least it helped. "I can't do anything right. _'Diana gets good grades why can't you? Follow Diana's example. What a ridiculous notion, they are figments of your imagination; sometimes I think your sister is the only one with a head on her shoulders. Scientific fact is the only proof, not some made up stories.' _Yeah right, like he'd ever understand. I have to stop getting my hopes up, what's the point?" He rubbed his eyes and stood up walking past the statue and was shocked to see his father standing there. "Dad!" Martin put a smile on his face, "What are you doing here? I was just taking out some trash, you know to keep my room clean and all."

"_Is that what he really believes I think of him?" _Gerard Mystery looked shocked, felt shocked and sickened. His own son was being hurt and it was because of him. He knew about the centre now and still he refused to believe in these creatures that his son fought every day. "Martin I just wanted to say-"

"Can it wait I have to-" Gerard pulled the bag away and looked inside. Art supplies, Martin's art supplies.

"Martin I'm sorry. I didn't know that's how you felt."

Martin felt angry, "You were listening! HOW COULD YOU!" Martin snatched the bag away, "All I do is try to please you, to make you proud of me and I can't even do that. Everyone thinks I'm a freak and wired and I don't care what they think but you, my father, can't stand who I am and what I like or what I do! I try my best everyday and all I get from you is a lecture on how to be more like Diana! I hate it and I'm tired of trying!" He had his fists clenched and he was looking down, "Am I not good enough?"

"Martin I-"

"Am I not good enough to be your son? What do I have to do to please you?"

"Martin-"

"I'm not done!" He was screaming again and Gerard saw the tear stains on Martin's face, "I try and try and try and I can't even make the grade! I've tried and I'm tired of trying." He fell to his knees again looking away from his father, "I'm sorry." His voice had softened and become almost silent, "I guess I'm just not good enough."

Gerard leaned down and hugged his son. "You are good enough, you're excellent. I may not like what you do but that doesn't mean I'm any less proud of you. I screwed up, badly and I didn't know how you were feeling. I didn't even bother to ask you which painting was yours and I hurt you. If I had known I wouldn't have said what I said, I'm sorry. I'm proud of you, first place." Martin didn't respond, "Your sister is getting the painting right now, I told her to spend what she needed to get it. I know this doesn't make it okay and I know we need to work on things but if you're willing to try then so am I. What do you say? You can tell me what you do, what you've done and I'll just listen with an open mind. "

"I don't know."

"Please Martin, I want to try." Martin looked up and saw the look in his father's eyes.

"I-I guess." He removed himself from his fathers grasp and stood up, "Please leave me alone for now. I need some time to think."

"Alright, call me if you need anything. I'm staying in town for a few days."

"Tomorrow can we go out to eat? Just you and me?" Gerard felt some hope when Martin asked that question.

"Of course."

"Okay, I'll call you." Gerard watched Martin walk away. Both parties were feeling a little bit of hope come back as they took some time to think. It wasn't until the next day that what happened hit them. They were both nervous at lunch but eventually Martin opened up and started to talk to his dad about small things. It was a start in a hopefully budding father and son relationship.


End file.
